Good Governance— Leadership Excellence

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Capacity Partnership Group

Glen Peterson

Good Governance—
Leadership Excellence

A Workshop in #Policy Governance®

Saturday, February 26, 2011

9 AM – 2 PM; Lunch included

Whittier Area Community Church
8100 Colima Road, Whittier, CA 90605

“Boards: Bar Fights, and Beautiful Music:

how to avoid the one, and make lots of the other”

A workshop in board governance for nonprofit and community benefit organizations, we will examine the practical usage of Policy Governance, a comprehensive model of board governance. This is a new paradigm for governance and ensures organizational results and accountability that is safe and fair. We will look at the foundational work of the board—the work that no other group of volunteers can be expected to do.

A board of directors needs to know its job and have the right tools. The job of governance is about values, vision, empowerment of both board and staff, and the strategic ability to lead leaders. This workshop looks at how a board of directors brings added value to a new organization. The workshop is designed as an introduction and to help everyone from beginners to veterans. It is for new board members and executives.

As workshop participants, board members and staff leaders will gain an appreciation of leadership through governance; define the roles of management and board distinct from one another; identify the unique job outputs of the board; and learn how to avoid meddling and "rubber-stamping" by boards.

There is a nominal fee of $85 for the first person from an organization and $25 for additional persons from the same organization will be charged. Lunch and materials are included. All fees are due and payable in advance.

Future Policy Governance workshops to be offered in 2011 include: Ends Policy Writing, Policy Writing Blitz, Monitoring, Connection to Ownership.

For more information call Glen at 562/400-4739.

Sign up here.

More from Capacity Partnership Group here.

Post Office Box 693

Whittier, CA 90608

gpeterson@capacitypartnership.com

562/400-4739 [mobile & voice mail or text]

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Governance Process Training and Technical Assistance--Dates coming, check back soon!

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I am working on a concept to bring affordable training and technical assistance to implement Policy Governance(r) for community organizations in 2011. This would be a series of trainings that include hands on policy writing, ends policy development, monitoring reports, linkage to ownership and other sessions. Take a look at this link: 2011 Policy Governance training and technical assistance and then let's talk about doing this in your community.

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Salaries at Community Organizations

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I get questions about compensation often. And, twice in the last week the subject has come up. Here is a quick look at some national median salaries for CEOs at nonprofits with various levels of income from the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

For a more complete look at compensation, the Southern California Center for Nonprofit Management publishes an annual compensation and benefits survey for the State of California. It is pretty reasonable to purchase if you participate in the survey. You can usually read the most recent survey at their office in Los Angeles.

It is the responsibility of the board of directors to set the compensation of the organization's CEO and to monitor its own policy on compensation for the entire organization.

A sample board level policy on compensation:

"With respect to employment, compensation, and benefits to employees, consultants, contract workers and volunteers, the CEO shall not cause or allow jeopardy to financial integrity or to public image.  Further, the CEO shall not…

1. Change the CEO’s own compensation and benefits, except as his or her benefits are consistent with a package for all other employees
2. Promise or imply permanent or guaranteed employment
3. Establish current compensation and benefits that deviate materially from the geographical or professional market for the skills employed
4. Create obligations over a longer term than revenues can be safely projected, in no event longer than one year and in all events subject to losses in revenue
5. Establish or change pension benefits so as to cause unpredictable or inequitable situations, including those that . . .

A. Incur unfunded liabilities

B. Provide less than some basic level of benefits to all full time employees, though differential benefits to encourage longevity are not prohibited

C. Allow any employee to lose benefits already accrued from any previous plan

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The Policy Governance® Model

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For a clear couple of paragraphs on what Policy Governance is, read it from the source on the Carver Policy Governance website, click here. 

Then contact me to help you implement this system for your board of directors, equip your board to accomplish its non-competitive job outputs, and empower your organization to accomplish what it should and avoid unacceptable situations and circumstances.

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Recommended Board Member Notebook Contents

Welcome back! Sometimes I get some really good questions from clients about board issues. I liked this question about what information is routinely needed by board members and at board meetings. Here are my ideas for 2010.

• Board Level Policy Document: (1) Ends, (3) Staff Limitations, (3) Board-staff linkage, (4) board process (includes conflict of interest, compensation policy)
• Bylaws
• Minutes from previous meetings
• Board roster that includes contact information and affiliations
• Board member commitment letter, conflict of interest declaration (signed copy)
• Board Agenda Schedule (calendars board meetings 18-24 months into the future)
• Organizational calendar with all organization’s events
• Most recent board process training content, example: Governance Matters, Good Training document: Governance is Leadership Excellence by Capacity Partnership Group.

Several new clients now have this as a training tool to orient new board members and assist board doe their work. Your ideas matter here! Please leave a comment.

John Carver's Boards that Make a Difference (2006)

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There are some good books on boards, group process, decision making, servant leadership,  consensus building and other topics that are helpful to boards and board members. I have found only one that provides an operating system covering a comprehensive approach to board governance that allows board to reach their full potential to board and organizational accountability, a tool for defining values as explicit board level policies and linkage to real or "moral" ownership. For those interested in learning more either before or after a training session with Capacity partnership Group on board governance (Policy Governance), I recommend:




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Introduction Questions for Board Leaders

Welcome!

These questions are to help you begin thinking about your role as a board member and work of boards of directors for your organization.  Think about these and give it your best shot to answer them on paper and bring your thoughts to our training workshop.

• What is the board for?
• What job outputs should the board produce?
• What is the relationship between a board and the organization’s staff?
• What difficulties has your board faced?
• What questions do you have today about boards?
• Does the board have a model or resource to look toward for help, structure or advice?

 Boards do not necessarily do what they need to do or hold themselves accountable for job outputs. After you have thought about these questions, go to this link and read some basic definitions and review your answers. This is were we will begin our work together at the training workshop.

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Introduction to Board Development--Board Retreat Prep

Welcome! I have posted this as preparation for participants in an upcoming workshop on board function and board governance for a nonprofit organization. If you are one of those participants, we will begin by reviewing these concepts sand setting a direction for our training session and framing the work of the board. I hope that you find this challenging and stimulated to participate in discussion.

Introduction to Board Development

The essential work of a board of directors of any organization must be to add value with job outputs that are specific to the role of the board (not competitive with staff) and for which the board holds itself accountable.

• Explicit Board Level Policy. Articulating clearly what the organization is to accomplish for its moral ownership (or membership)—more than what is keeping the organization busy but what will make a difference in the world because the organization does what it says it should.
• Monitoring of results and activities. Develop accountability as an organizational characteristic and providing assurance that the expected results were produced and unacceptable situations and circumstances were avoided, and the cost was worth the result.
• Linkage to real or “moral” ownership. As the board understands its trustee function, it develops a strategy of linkage to and understanding of the membership to act on its behalf.

These job outputs are the unique contribution of a board of directors that no other person or group can accomplish. It is further the board’s responsibility, once these job outputs are understood, to hold itself accountable for its own work. It is through this that the board can accomplish its duty of care, duty of loyalty and duty of obedience.

Governance Definition

Board governance is the job of the group granted full accountability and full authority for value produced on behalf of those who morally if not legally own the organization. It is the servant-leadership work of the highest and initial authority within the organization.

In this training we design and utilize a comprehensive set of integrated distinctions that, when consistently applied, allow governing boards to realize their accountability. The process is called Policy Governance®.

By making policy, the board governs proactively through explicit statements of values rather than reactively or through event-specific decisions. Boards must be at least as disciplined as they expect their staffs to be.

To learn more, see this link.

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Development of organizational ends

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Development of organizational ends in the Policy Governance framework is the hardest part of policy development. Doing it right and well and completely and logically to answer what result for what recipient and at what relative cost is worth the effort as a tool that leads organizations to achieve what it should.

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Lo que es Policy Governance

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Policy Governance es un conjunto comprensivo de principios integrados que, cuando se aplican de manera consistente, permiten a las Juntas de Gobierno lograr organizaciones responsables ante sus dueños.

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~ Confucius

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"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall."

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Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)

My colleague, Terri Larson is presenting a workshop on Asset Based Community Development for Faith-Based Organizations.

May 19 – 20, 2010

Wednesday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Thursday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Templo Calvario CDC

2617 W. 5th St.

Santa Ana, CA 92703

Cost: $50.00 per person
(Price includes: workshop materials, continental breakfast and lunch)

REGISTRATION
Register on-line at www.kingdomcauses.org


Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD)
In many communities, churches and organizations attempt community transformation by asking what is wrong in the community, what has to be fixed. ABCD approaches community transformation by asking what is right, what is working and how can everyone contribute their skills and passion to make life better!

We invite you to join us for an engaging and interactive event where we will learn how to look at our community as places of great treasure! Training includes:

• Theology of Development
• Needs-Based vs. Asset-Based
• Social Service vs. Community Building
• Gifts of Individuals
• The Negative Power of Labels
• Gifts of Associations & Institutions
• Stewardship Role of the Local Church
• Discovering What People Care About
• Listening Conversations
• Community Transformation Model
• Role of Connector/Catalyst
• Setting the Table for Community Partnership & Collaboration
• The Community Organizing Process – ABCD into Action
• Asset-Mapping – Circles of Care
• Champions for a Stronger Community – Next Steps

My workshop notes on how to form a nonprofit organization

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Can now be downloaded here. It is a pdf document and should download when you click here. 

Advocacy, nonprofits, the Supreme Court Decision

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I pondered this question out loud a couple of times over the last week. Here is information from Alliance for Justice. More information on this and other advocacy issues and nonprofits can be found here. I pretty much figured this was the answer.

Question: Does the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United mean that a 501(c)(3) organization can now support or oppose candidates for public office?

Answer: NO.  501(c)(3)s remain subject to federal tax law’s absolute prohibition on intervening in an election campaign on behalf of or opposition to a candidate for public office.  Therefore, little will change for public charities and private foundations as a result of this opinion. For more information about what Citizens United Means for Tax-Exempt Organizations, see our report:  http://www.afj.org/connect-with-the-issues/citizens-united-overview.html.

If you have any questions about lobbying or other issues related to nonprofit advocacy, please call Alliance for Justice's toll-free technical assistance hotline at 1-866-NPLOBBY or email us at advocacy@afj.org.  

This is from Alliance for Justice's weekly Advocacy Digest. Further questions should be directed to them. I am not an attorney and nothing I say or put on this blog should be construed as legal advice.

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New Topics for Workshop training and technical assistance for application

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2010 Workshop Topics

This is a partial list of topics and concerns that Capacity Partnership can address for your group or organization. Topics can be presented as training workshops or combined with a process to implement and integrate the content with your organization or church. Three of the topics are newly tested and received high evaluations from the participants.

1. Nonprofit Basics:  through advanced Board Governance for nonprofit organizations: Good Governance—Leadership Excellence, Governance Matters, “Board Rooms Bar Fights and Beautiful Music—more of the later, less of the later”
2. Nonprofit Basics: Strategic Planning—a road map for accomplishing organizational results and improving its capacity to do that better. Moving away from “strategic planning is stupid” to planning as a process to inform the life of your organization.
3. Nonprofit Basics: Strategic Resource Development—finding the partners and resources to move toward your vision and fulfilling your mission.
4. Nonprofit Basics: Navigate your Nonprofit Status, Discover the benefits and responsibilities afforded by a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt status
5. Nonprofit Basics: Policies and Procedures: Clarify your organizational values with clear, written policies and procedures.
6. Nonprofit Basics: Assessment and capacity building.
7. Nonprofit Basics: Collaboration and Partnerships
8. Nonprofit Basics: Financial Management and Systems. Financial literacy for people person who think they don’t understand numbers and dollars.
9. Visioning. If you can you see your community, the people who live and work there in a new and better way there is a way of getting you there.
10. Justice and Compassion Ministry for the Church. Does the Bible really say all that about the poor, the widows, the orphans and the strangers? Then how do we move to a response that will really help?
11. Immigration and immigrants, Christian perspective. Christians at the Border: a biblical look at immigrants and immigration. Cristianos en la frontera: una mirada bíblica en los inmigrantes y la inmigración.

 


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Organizational Transparency

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Some great thoughts here about transparency and a safe accountabilit from the CFO (Chief Euphoria Officer) at Ben and Jerry's.  For people who were in today's workshop on Policy and Procedure, this is a good follow-up on this topic and great question that came up during the Q & A.

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Training events coming up [Updated]

Welcome back! Let me know if we can serve you through these training events.

Thursday, January 21, 2010, 9:30 am – 12 noon
How to Navigate Becoming a 501 (c) 3 
"Is 501(c)3 the Suitable Thing to be for your Entity?"

Find out the benefits of tax-exempt status under IRC 501 (c) 3. Determine whether, when and how to proceed with this important step. Discover what additional responsibilities, reporting and legal obligations come with this status. Participants will know how to determine the most advantageous status for their organization. Founders, board members, and directors will benefit from this workshop.

Friday, January 22, 2010, 9:30 am – 12 noon
Organizational Policies and Procedures
"Advantages of Well-considered Policies and Procedures"

What makes for clear and efficient expression of an organization's values? This workshop will demonstrate how a system of explicit policies and procedures can and should do that. Policies define why your organization exists and the difference it will make outside of its own walls. Policies and procedures provide guidance on how organizations treat people and handle money and other resources. Monitoring organizational behavior as an essential practice will be explored. Founders, board members, directors, new and established organizations will find this workshop helpful.

Glen Peterson has led and been a catalyst within grass-roots, community, and faith-based organizations in Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis, South Los Angeles, Pomona and other geographies. Glen has worked with immigrants, youth, parolees, recovery, and other specialized populations. He is passionate about transformation in people and communities across cultural, economic and social barriers. Organizational development expertise is in board governance function using Policy Governance®, strategic planning, resource development planning, economic development through traditional wage employment programs, self-employment and microenterprise, asset development and financial literacy programs. Capacity Partnership Group can help you with any nonprofit, community or faith-based organizational development or program need.

For the context of when and where and to whom this training is to be offered, click here.

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Governance and Tax-Exempt Organizations

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Because of some behaviors of some nonprofit organizations, the IRS has published new guidelines for nonprofit organizations and new documents for examiners in the case you are being examined by the IRS. Take a look at those here. 

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